Official THE RUMOUR MILL - Player Signings/Transfers ONLY!!!!

Gumby

Gumby

Jaws
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
15,360
Reaction score
2,358
Location
Melbourne
bort said:
Surely Flanno makes them pay at least half. Could see both sides being happy with that
Click to expand...
If he is on that much i can see why the dogs were trying to hard to remove him.

Anyways here's the club statement from the dogs regarding Raymond.

www.bulldogs.com.au

Club Statement: Raymond Faitala-Mariner

Raymond Faitala-Mariner has been granted an immediate release from his contract with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
www.bulldogs.com.au www.bulldogs.com.au

For a former club captain and a guy who was at the club for 6 years or so, there statement seems like it was written by an intern at the club lol
 
CrazyMatt

CrazyMatt

Jaws
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
23,297
Reaction score
3,056
Location
Colyton, Sydney
Gumby said:
If he is on that much i can see why the dogs were trying to hard to remove him.

Anyways here's the club statement from the dogs regarding Raymond.

www.bulldogs.com.au

Club Statement: Raymond Faitala-Mariner

Raymond Faitala-Mariner has been granted an immediate release from his contract with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
www.bulldogs.com.au www.bulldogs.com.au

For a former club captain and a guy who was at the club for 6 years or so, there statement seems like it was written by an intern at the club lol
Click to expand...
Makes you think those issues they had last season which they made a big song and dance about how they “ironed them out” werent really as “ironed out” as they said they were.
 
bort

bort

Jaws
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
30,583
Reaction score
6,393
Location
IN A BAR
Proud Shark said:
Christian Tupiolotu has been given permission to negotiate with the merge.
Click to expand...
He looks okay... but they have 2x Feagai's and I thought Sione Finau was meant to be a strong up and comer too.
Obviously Flanno not sold on this group for the more open wing spot
Ravalawa
Bird
Suli
???

Matt and Max almost 23, think Sione is this year too, and haven't taken off in NRL yet but in saying that only like 1 year older than SS who we are excited for and hasn't even played NRL.

Guess if they've identified with Corey Allen out they want another back in top 30 there isn't likely to be any unsigned players better than Tuipolotu
 
BurgoShark

BurgoShark

Super Moderator
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
12,868
Reaction score
4,097
bort said:
He looks okay... but they have 2x Feagai's and I thought Sione Finau was meant to be a strong up and comer too.
Obviously Flanno not sold on this group for the more open wing spot
Ravalawa
Bird
Suli
???

Matt and Max almost 23, think Sione is this year too, and haven't taken off in NRL yet but in saying that only like 1 year older than SS who we are excited for and hasn't even played NRL.

Guess if they've identified with Corey Allen out they want another back in top 30 there isn't likely to be any unsigned players better than Tuipolotu
Click to expand...
Lomax playing fullback and Sloan wing maybe? or is there a fullback-off happening?
 
bort

bort

Jaws
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
30,583
Reaction score
6,393
Location
IN A BAR
BurgoShark said:
Lomax playing fullback and Sloan wing maybe? or is there a fullback-off happening?
Click to expand...
I was pencilling in Lomax at FB and Sloan as Cup FB
I would have had them in conversation for centre and wing but looking at buying a new winger (semi) suggests they aren't

If there was actual contention between all of
1 Lomax/Sloan
2 Ravalawa
3 Lomax/Bird
4 Suli/Bird/Feagai
5 Sloan/Feagai/Feagai/Finau
I don't really see why you would be looking at another clubs cast off winger. Lock Lomax in at FB with Sloan only as a backup for there and some space starts to open up for another bloke to compete.
 
Sparkles

Sparkles

Jaws
Joined
May 21, 2008
Messages
12,208
Reaction score
2,959
bort said:
I was pencilling in Lomax at FB and Sloan as Cup FB
I would have had them in conversation for centre and wing but looking at buying a new winger (semi) suggests they aren't

If there was actual contention between all of
1 Lomax/Sloan
2 Ravalawa
3 Lomax/Bird
4 Suli/Bird/Feagai
5 Sloan/Feagai/Feagai/Finau
I don't really see why you would be looking at another clubs cast off winger. Lock Lomax in at FB with Sloan only as a backup for there and some space starts to open up for another bloke to compete.
Click to expand...
Is Sloan on the outer these days? Sounds like you don't think he'd get a start in the FG squad? I thought he was pretty promising..?
 
bort

bort

Jaws
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
30,583
Reaction score
6,393
Location
IN A BAR
Sparkles said:
Is Sloan on the outer these days? Sounds like you don't think he'd get a start in the FG squad? I thought he was pretty promising..?
Click to expand...
He's quick but has a lot of holes in his game. I don't think he kicked on like they wanted yet.

Sloan is only 22 later this year - I think good timing for him to go back to Cup and work on fleshing out his game. Increase work rate, add more ball playing. He was pretty much gifted uncontested 1 jersey last season with Ramsay dropping out and Bird being used as a forward.

If you watch Sloan's 2022 NSW Cup Highlights they are almost entirely just him backing up other players... think the only one that wasn't he's on the wing.
Now backing players up down the middle at pace is certainly not bad fullback play - he just adds very little else.
NOT playing him lets them fit Lomax, Bird and Suli who are all currently better NRL players.

I also think Flanno will prefer the greater skill set Lomax offers as it can help take pressure off of Flanju.
 
BurgoShark

BurgoShark

Super Moderator
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
12,868
Reaction score
4,097
bort said:
He's quick but has a lot of holes in his game. I don't think he kicked on like they wanted yet.

Sloan is only 22 later this year - I think good timing for him to go back to Cup and work on fleshing out his game. Increase work rate, add more ball playing. He was pretty much gifted uncontested 1 jersey last season with Ramsay dropping out and Bird being used as a forward.

If you watch Sloan's 2022 NSW Cup Highlights they are almost entirely just him backing up other players... think the only one that wasn't he's on the wing.
Now backing players up down the middle at pace is certainly not bad fullback play - he just adds very little else.
NOT playing him lets them fit Lomax, Bird and Suli who are all currently better NRL players.

I also think Flanno will prefer the greater skill set Lomax offers as it can help take pressure off of Flanju.
Click to expand...
Tbf whoever complied that highlights video probably had only “tries from games someone bothered to upload highlights for” to work from. Sloan may have had another hundred or so fantastic plays that didn’t result in tries or in games that didn’t get filmed (or not).
 
bort

bort

Jaws
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
30,583
Reaction score
6,393
Location
IN A BAR
BurgoShark said:
Tbf whoever complied that highlights video probably had only “tries from games someone bothered to upload highlights for” to work from. Sloan may have had another hundred or so fantastic plays that didn’t result in tries or in games that didn’t get filmed (or not).
Click to expand...
True, but happens to be reflective of his criticisms in NRL. They actually show him doing even less than I expected.

On the other hand Lachie Miller's 2min NSW Cup highlights video (clipped together by same person) from same season shows a lot more varied football
Obviously both not complete bodies of work for the player, and Lachie playing in the halves for some. Not a resource I'd recommend as a definitive guide to signing players or assigning jerseys. Lachie has his own criticisms as an NRL level fullback.

As for Sloan going forward though, when your one trick is speed you have a great base to build on.

It's
  • Dragons looking at another winger
  • thinking Flanno would prefer Lomax to help Flanju
  • better fits Lomax, Bird and Suli all into backline
  • and Cup being a good opportunity for Sloan to round out his game
which has me thinking he may be missing out on the 1 jersey.
But at the same time that is just trying to interpret what Flanno may be thinking.
He could very well just name Sloan straight into the 1 jersey. If he does I expect they have a bottom 2 in the NRL fullback again in 2024.
 
Thresher

Thresher

Jaws
Joined
Jul 5, 2011
Messages
24,882
Reaction score
3,568
Location
Melbourne
I got the vibe that Sloan got a bit caught up in the hype.

If anyone could drag someone back to planet earth though it would be Flanno.

And of course the preferred method for doing this is a good old fashioned fullback-off.
 
Sparkles

Sparkles

Jaws
Joined
May 21, 2008
Messages
12,208
Reaction score
2,959
bort said:
He's quick but has a lot of holes in his game. I don't think he kicked on like they wanted yet.

Sloan is only 22 later this year - I think good timing for him to go back to Cup and work on fleshing out his game. Increase work rate, add more ball playing. He was pretty much gifted uncontested 1 jersey last season with Ramsay dropping out and Bird being used as a forward.

If you watch Sloan's 2022 NSW Cup Highlights they are almost entirely just him backing up other players... think the only one that wasn't he's on the wing.
Now backing players up down the middle at pace is certainly not bad fullback play - he just adds very little else.
NOT playing him lets them fit Lomax, Bird and Suli who are all currently better NRL players.

I also think Flanno will prefer the greater skill set Lomax offers as it can help take pressure off of Flanju.
Click to expand...
Lomax should really get the no.1 role. Just thoughts Sloan was another player with a lot of potential. Like you say though, he's quite young and has plenty of time to find form and work his way into the squad. Just thought a spot should have been his for the taking round 1.
 
bort

bort

Jaws
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
30,583
Reaction score
6,393
Location
IN A BAR
Sparkles said:
Lomax should really get the no.1 role. Just thoughts Sloan was another player with a lot of potential. Like you say though, he's quite young and has plenty of time to find form and work his way into the squad. Just thought a spot should have been his for the taking round 1.
Click to expand...
Arguably the worst fullback of 2023 is not a safe position going into 2024, especially with a new coach coming in.
Lomax is 25 this year and we are talking about him maybe being given another crack at fullback, so there is plenty of time for (22 this year) Sloan to develop out his game to make himself a long term NRL player.

Lomax they have tried before and he failed, although a lot more experienced player now. Game also still needs polish though.
But Lomax can create where Sloan is just a finisher - they don't get many chances created that need finishing with their current roster (4th worst attack of last season).

If Lomax goes well and Sloan really develops in Cup I'm sure Flanno will be delighted to have that issue next preseason.

edit: 4th worst attack, not 3rd
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top